Generally speaking, there is mostly only one stereotype for a ‘survivalist’ or ‘prepper’ out there in the mainstream. Most of the general public think of a survivalist or prepper as one or some of the following…

A gun ‘nut’
Someone who hates the government and is ready to do ‘battle’
Someone who desires to be alone or to only be with their ‘own kind’
Someone who believes the end-of-the-world is eminent
A hoarder of food and supplies
A delusional crackpot
A religious extremest
A misfit of society

As in all walks of life, there are all types of folks. Sure, there are those that fit into one or some of the categorical stereotypes. I have lived long enough to learn that there are an amazing number of differing mindsets.

People are a product of many influences… their parents, their upbringing, their own life experiences of both good and bad, their jobs, their friends, their enemies, their exposure to the marketing machine of ‘the system’, their conviction to their own beliefs, on and on… The point being that someone cannot or should not be stereotyped because of one or a few traits that others may see in them. The real ‘them’ may be quite different from what you may think.

Having said that, what I’m getting at is that there is not one stereotype of a survivalist or prepper. Sure, you could say that many share similar ideals, but every survivalist or prepper is different in their own way.

For example, there are those in the survivalist / prepper community that are hard core. They are really into firearms, ‘don’t tread on me’, vocal about their liberties, ready to survive in the woods with buried stashes of food, etc. That’s all fine and good. No quarrels here… However these are not necessarily ‘the’ qualifying traits of a survivalist, at least in my opinion.

There are those that consider themselves survivalists in the sense that they are determined to survive the uncertainties of today relative to the modern world that they live in. In other words, they may not have trained to survive in the woods foraging for edible wild plants, or they may not own a firearm, but they may be honing their own unique adaptability skills, building a base of food and supplies for emergency, and becoming more informed about the risks of the world they live in.

You may stereotype the last example to be more of a ‘prepper’ than a survivalist, but I disagree with that notion. Someone who is preparing or has prepared for risk and uncertainty is doing so to survive the things that may be thrown at them.

The media that I’ve seen in the mainstream, when portraying survivalists, or exemplifying them in TV shows, or interviewing them in real life, is nearly always tilted towards the extreme. This leads others to think that what they are seeing or hearing is ‘the’ typical survivalist. Well, either I’m a one-of-a-kind survivalist while all others are hard core, or the media has purposefully sought out the hard core while ignoring the numbers of preppers who ‘fit in’ with society and are privately building a base of self support and self sufficiency as they recognize that they are ultimately responsible for their own lives.

So, I encourage you to not stereotype the definition of ‘survivalist’ to the extreme. Instead, consider that there are many that are simply taking charge of their own lives and preparing themselves for uncertainty.

Black Blade: I see a "Survivalist/Prepper as someone who takes on personal responsibility and a view to preparation for survival as a form of insurance. For myself that would be economic insurance as I prep in case of long term unemployment for any reason or natural disasters. It'smore a matter of hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

10-30-2011, 09:41 PM

FyredUp

I would guess that I would be called more a prepper by many on this site than a survivalist. I stockpile food and other supplies to the best of my financial ability. I do own firearms, as well as other tools to help in a "survival" situation. I am not a hardcore live off the land in the woods type at all but we do raise and store as much of our own food as we can. We are going to add cows and chickens in the spring.

I don't hate the government, but I have serious doubts about its ability to manage the country. I don't necessarily want to be alone or with my "own kind" but I also don't wish to be surrounded by people who will see my as their lunch ticket if things do go badly. I do not believe the end of the world is imminent. Rather I see the economy being the issue, based on unemployment and costs of energy. I prefer the title of stockpiler over hoarder, because what I am doing is NOT shorting anyone else or denying them the ability to stockpile themselves. I am not delusional, a crackpot, or a misfit of society. Only my family knows of my wife and my plans for stockpiling and they have been told clearly if they wish to come here to be with us they bette not blab about what we are doing or none of us will survive.

My parents were depession era people and my plans for stockpiling are born out of listening to them talk about shortages and hardships borne out of that.

10-31-2011, 12:40 AM

bellson

Quote:

Originally Posted by FyredUp

I would guess that I would be called more a prepper by many on this site than a survivalist. I stockpile food and other supplies to the best of my financial ability. I do own firearms, as well as other tools to help in a "survival" situation. I am not a hardcore live off the land in the woods type at all but we do raise and store as much of our own food as we can. We are going to add cows and chickens in the spring.

I don't hate the government, but I have serious doubts about its ability to manage the country. I don't necessarily want to be alone or with my "own kind" but I also don't wish to be surrounded by people who will see my as their lunch ticket if things do go badly. I do not believe the end of the world is imminent. Rather I see the economy being the issue, based on unemployment and costs of energy. I prefer the title of stockpiler over hoarder, because what I am doing is NOT shorting anyone else or denying them the ability to stockpile themselves. I am not delusional, a crackpot, or a misfit of society. Only my family knows of my wife and my plans for stockpiling and they have been told clearly if they wish to come here to be with us they bette not blab about what we are doing or none of us will survive.

My parents were depession era people and my plans for stockpiling are born out of listening to them talk about shortages and hardships borne out of that.

Sage words. Good Mindset. I wish we were closer.

10-31-2011, 07:38 AM

TRX

I guess I'm no kind of survivalist at all by those standards.

On the other hand, we have tornados whip through here pretty often. The changing ethnic/cultural makeup where we live is getting ripe for some Watts-style action. We've had the power go off for a solid week after an ice storm, and was in another town where there was no water for that long during the same power outage. We've run out of supplies while being snowed in. Some friends lost everything when their house burned.

So I'm addressing those sorts of scenarios, ones that I've seen happen and might happen again, here. No armored Bug-Out Vehicle, no plans to go mountain main in "the woods," no Ayn Rand books in the bug-out bag.

But for those who want more dramatic preparations... well, why not? It's their money, and probably better spent that way than at a casino or buying new furniture.

10-31-2011, 08:08 AM

4thIDvet

Probably all of what you mentioned Black Blade.
I really dont hate the Guberment, just getting old and gave up. Not enough energy left too bother hating.
Good choice of weapon with that guy in the picture.
Bird shot for small game. Buck shot and slugs for the bears and big game.
That is what I would carry if I was out there.
But that is a whole other post.

10-31-2011, 08:40 AM

railbuggy

I have about 300 or 400 lbs of canned goods and grains stashed,but not much liquids.Becouse of my copd,I might not last to long when my supplys are gone.:death:

10-31-2011, 10:51 AM

twa2471

I'm kinda of the same mind set and mode as Fyred Up. Living off the land is do-ible for me, but I have no plans to become a super survivilist, just to be prapared for what every day shit that might happen. Got my food stash,wepons and ammo, and a place to go should I need to. Not going to worry about dooms day persay, but I'll try to be prepared for what ever might come down the pike. I'm not going to run off into the hills and live in a cave anytime soon, but that option is in place should the ashes start to fall from the sky, and has been for >20 years. I check on everything once and a while and my spot has never been visited in all this time being as well hid as it is , and it will never will be found. Nice dry cave way up in the hills half way up a cliff. While preping it I found stone tools and an >3000 year old fire pit, judging by the projectile points I found around it, my ancestors knew where it was, and I do too. That's how I know about it, my ansestors winter camp for at least 7 genarations, best as I can tell, maybe longer, last one to stay there was my great great grandfather, about 1830's. And it's never been listed on any records as far as I can find. I'm all set.

10-31-2011, 12:28 PM

j427x

if we live long enough were probably going to see society crack-up.

then it will be YO-YO for everybody.

some seem to think foraging is going to be the way. i don't. it is going to be a big ugly mess when it happens. too many people wanting something for nothing. i think the earth just crossed the 7 billion mark and headed for 8 billion.

the prediction is there be no fish in the wolds oceans in about 30 years, agriculture will be in a serious bind to boot. the forests are all ready about stripped.

people out here are all ready living on wild hog and armadillo!

10-31-2011, 05:48 PM

chopper

i'm not a survivalist i have guns because i like them.
i know how to live off the land and make shelters because i like doing that stuff some times .
and i have always thought the government sucked

10-31-2011, 06:54 PM

Sprat

I am a survivor, a cancer survivor so anything after that is cake
I ve grown up hunting & fishing (salt & fresh), I am a educated environmental scientist and professional ( no tree hugger here). So I understand the outdoor better than 90%. The wife and I will be able to make due, of all the things I can't hoard are anit-biotic's, cypro & Z-packs wish I could find a good source /quantity of that stuff but it also has a shelf life
I don't hate the gov't or anyone else for that matter, but I do think things will come to a head (SHTF) hopefully I will be gone by then and I will have prepped my nephews good